New York prosecutors have revealed that former President Donald Trump is accused of trying to conceal a separate crime while allegedly falsifying his business records. This disclosure came during Trump’s ongoing trial in Manhattan, where he faces 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. The charges are linked to a $130,000 payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, which prosecutors argue was intended to silence her claims of a past sexual encounter with Trump, thereby influencing the presidential election.
The specific crime Trump is accused of concealing involves a violation of New York’s election law, which prohibits conspiring to promote or prevent the election of any candidate through unlawful means. According to prosecutor Joshua Steinglass, the alleged conspiracy sought to unlawfully promote Trump’s candidacy by hiding the payment to Daniels.
During the trial, prosecutor Matthew Colangelo emphasized that the case centers on a “criminal conspiracy and a cover-up” involving Trump, his former attorney Michael Cohen, and David Pecker, the former CEO of American Media Inc. (AMI). The prosecution alleges that these individuals conspired to prevent damaging stories about Trump from becoming public by using a tactic known as “catch and kill,” where unfavorable stories are purchased and then not published.
Colangelo detailed instances of this practice, including a payment to a former Trump Tower doorman to suppress a rumor about Trump fathering a child out of wedlock, and a payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who also claimed a romantic relationship with Trump. The payments were described as efforts to control the narrative around Trump’s personal life during his campaign.
In his defense, Trump’s attorney, Todd Blanche, countered the allegations by insisting that Trump is innocent and that the arrangements made with Daniels and others were legal, involving nondisclosure agreements commonly used in business. Blanche argued that these payments were part of legitimate efforts to protect Trump’s family and reputation from damaging allegations, not actions meant to unlawfully influence the election.
As the trial progresses, both sides continue to present their arguments, with the prosecution seeking to demonstrate how Trump’s actions fit into a broader scheme to manipulate the electoral process, while the defense maintains that the transactions were legal and unrelated to any attempt to influence the election. The outcome of the trial could have significant implications for Trump, detailing his legal battles and his public and political life.